Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1887-08-04

rid of him. caressed his hand with it's
nose, or looked up at him and wagged
its tail. Still, for many days the ami
NAL refused all k;nds of nourishment.
Once only, while the column was on
/ march, and several men left the ranks
to arink at stream. the dog went to
the bank and Tapped up the water with
fcverish avidity.
One day. fearful battle was fought
When the struggle was over and the
soldiers were gathered round their
camp-kettles. the dog crouched at its
friends feet and looked up at him.
The Pole offered the now well-nigh
famished animal the rind of q piece
of cheese which had long been slowed
away in the depths of his pocket. The
dog for a long time scented the food,
as if to make sure that it belonged to
his master and nobody else. The poor
creature this time accepted the prof
fered pittance; it began to eat slowly,
and with a sort Of dignity, like one
who does a thing merely to oblige an
other. From that day, the Pole got
the dog food from the country stores
which he came across in the long march
es over French soil.
One evening the sergeant of his
squad said to the landwehrman:
"What are you going to do with that
beast?"
take it home with me-" replied the
Pole; Il need a watchdog, and can
not hope to meet with a better one.
III.
At last the armistice was concluded
and peace proclaimed. The landwehr-
men looked at each other with joyful
eyes and clasped their hands in silent
token of better days. At the first town
they reached the whole battalion was
bundled into train which steamed off
in the direction of Fatherland. They
had no sooner passed the frontier than
the soldiers were received at every sta
ton with endless cheering, and music
and flowers.
The Pole who had been called out to
fight. he knew not why, was especially
at loss to explain why, having
fought. he was brought home amid
such outbursts of popular favor. He
looked as silly as the dog at his feet,
| perhaps little more SO, TO: the dog
Sc emed to have an mixing that he was
surrounded by enemies, while the
"Polak" had grown to be Indifferent.
Once only the dog rose from the dark
| corner in which he crouchcd sulkily.
1t was at a station in the north of Ger
many. A convoy of French prisoners
arrived just as the landswehrmen's
train entered the place. The brave
hound rushed to the window and
barked and howled at the cheers and
songs which rose from the dense throng
of men with blue coats and red trOus.
ers, as they filed off into captivity,
closely guarded by the Prussian senti-
nels.
At Posen, the landwehrmen were dis
banded and sent home to their viii
lagos. VOlnizki set out with his bag
at his side. stick in his hand. and fol-
lowed by his dog. He left the high
road md took short cut across the
count.y. For two days he travelled
through an undulating region, inter-
setted by pretty streams and fertile
hills; the lark sang merrily above, and
the plowman drove his furrow through
the hardened glebe. On every side
sproutcd fair and green the promise of
germs which had been sown in the
winter season.
The Polak's heart beat high when he
caught sight of the church spire which
rose above his native place. Already
those he met by the way greeted him
with the usual salutation, 'Jesus
Christ be praisedr' As soon as he
reached the nross-grown cross just out
side his village. he knelt before it and
uttered short. heartfelt prayer. He
thanked his Saviour, not for any victo-
ry or any glory, but for allowing him
to get back through all his trials with
out loss Of health or limbs.
He hurried forward and began to
sing for the first time since he had left
his wife and children.
Not far off could be seen the little
cottage with its roof of matched straw
blackened by the smoke of the CHM
ney. and its granery, werein the stork
nestled.
| Soon. from the other side of a hedge.
he was greeted by his young wife. and
two young children came running to-
wards him. He took his SON up in his
arms and kissed him; he bent over his
daughter and stroked her forehead
with his hand, and then he gazed low
ingly on his young wife.
She merely said: ''How good it is to
see you hack here!'
He entered the large room of his cot
tage. followed by the children and the
dog.
"Whose beast have You got there"
asked the vOunU woman,